LE Press Conferences/Statements:
PC Dec. 18th 2011
http://www.wmur.com/video/30024809/detail.html
PC Dec. 19th 2011
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30031794/detail.html
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30031834/detail.html
not a full transcript:
Q: Friday night, one of the neighbors said she heard a motor vehicle pull up to the house late..but she didn't pay much attention to it..would that have been something that you have been looking into?
A: Yes. We've looked into all the information that has been passed onto us.
Q: So a motor vehicle did come to the house, late?
A: Yes. There was a neighbor that reported a motor vehicle outside..that is with the investigators right now.
Q: Do we know who was in that vehicle, what kind of vehicle it was, where it came from?
A: The only information I have is that a resident reported vehicle outside at some point. That has been forwarded to detectives and they are following up on it.
Q: Is this a missing person or is it an abduction?
A: It's a missing persons case.
Q: The father, Justin Dipietro, he lives at 29 Violette with his mother, correct?
A: Yes.
Q: Okay, is he still in the area as far as you know, or is he...?
A: I'm not sure of his whereabouts at this time, I'm not sure if he is continued there or moved someplace else.
Q: At what point will the family be allowed back into the house?
A: I'm not sure. That would be up to the folks who are actually at the house.
Q: Who is at the house right now? No one in the family is allowed to be at the house right now? Is the house closed off, just investigators right now?
A: Yes.
Q: How long do you think that is going to be?
A: Again, I'd have to speak to those investigators that are there. I'm not sure.
Q: The search that is going on right now, is that along the banks of the river or divers in the river? How do you see that transpiring over the next day or so?
A: The search today was along the banks. Let me defer to Lt. Adams, uh, confined to the banks?
Adams: To the banks, yes sir.
Q: That is still going on right now?
Adams: Yes.
Q: Where does the mother live?
A: I don't think she has a permanent address.
Q: But is she homeless? Does she live with a relative?
A: I believe that she was staying with relatives, yes.
PC Dec. 20th 2011
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30040002/detail.html
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30040246/detail.html
PC Dec. 21st 2011
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30048773/detail.html
not a full transcript:
Chief: Let me start off by talking about Justin Dipietro's statement that he gave to investigators sometime around mid afternoon yesterday. That was eventually filtered out to the command staff in the early evening hours. There was a decision made to go ahead and release Justin Dipietro's statement to the Waterville Morning Sentinel. I understand there's been some concerns and issues about that, we talked about that today and we will certainly change that to make sure that in the future that type of information gets filtered on to all of you.
We continue to receive leads. We have approximately 165 leads that have come in since we started the investigation. That has been keeping investigators very very busy, as you might imagine.
A couple of other area's that we've expanded on the search for the Warden service: we've searched the Kennebec River, we are currently searching the Kennebec River, from the Waterville Winslow Bridge south. We've also expanded our search to a small pond on the 1st Range way, that pond was pumped down by the Waterville Fire Department, obviously we could see the bottom of it. We are also in the process of searching some trails off from Kennedy Memorial Drive across from Shaw's Plaza.
There are approximately 80 searchers. We have about 50 of those folks who are from the Maine Association of Search and Rescue. They are civilians but they have a lot of training in search and rescue. They work hand and hand with the Warden Service when they are required. We have about 15 firefighters, more than a dozen Wardens and we also have Marine Patrol that are joining us today and they are providing a search of the river with their boats.
These searches are in places where we would logically want to go ahead and search based on their location. We want to rule out every possible area that we can in our efforts to find Ayla. That is our focus, that is our goal, that is our aim, we are not going to lose focus of that. We are going to continue this investigation until we locate her.
Q: Was Justin Dipietros statement given to you by him or by his attorney?
A: That was given to investigators by Justin.
Q: I received a call yesterday from a woman in a southern state saying that she thought she had spotted Ayla in a hospital waiting room and she said she has contacted police. Are you familiar with what I'm talking about?
A: I am not, but I am not aware of every lead that comes in. Those are filtered down to all the investigators and I don't necessarily see every single lead. We may have gotten it, it may have been looked at, and acted on. I don't know.
Q: Is it true that you told Trista Reynolds not to search, and has Justin Dipietro and his family expressed an interest in searching to police?
A: I personally do not have any information that she has asked to participate in the searches, nor do I have any information that Justin has.
Q: Would you have given them permission? Is that something you would know about if it happened?
A: Not necessarily. We have talked to the family, and as I said the family continues to be fully cooperative. If they at some point had offered that to investigators, I'm not sure.
Q: Would they be allowed to?
A: Uh, when we do a search, we determine the type of searchers that we need. In some areas, we need the specialized training that I talked about these folks have today. In other searches, we ask for volunteers, and we go ahead and coordinate that. That's something that the search coordinator would make some determination on.
PC Dec.22nd 2011
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30057193/detail.html
PC summary by Becky Sawtelle/Staff WMTV
http://livewire.wmtw.com/Event/Search_For_Missing_Waterville_Toddler#ixzz1h10sEGaQ
Chief Joseph Massey said state police are at the home searching.
The crime lab truck has been brought in.
Massey said cadaver dogs have been brought in.
When asked why the attorney general's office was at the home, Massey said it is because they needed the opportunity to search the home.
Massey once again is saying the family is cooperating
Massey said no one has taken a lie detector test.
Massey said water searches are still taking place.
Massey said the FBI isn't planning any more "knock and talks" at this time.
Massey continues to say this is a missing child case.
Massey said the vehicles that were towed from the home will soon be returned.
When asked if Justin DiPietro is out searching for his daughter, Massey said he doesn't know where he is.
He said that people shouldn't be alarmed that crime scene tape has been placed around the home. That people shouldn't "read too much into it."
PC Dec.26th2011
Maine Police Chief: Someone Took Missing Toddler - YouTube
~~i cannot find raw video link to PC on this date, only this short clip. see press release from 26th~~
LE Press Releases:
Dec. 23rd2011
Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey would like to announce that there will not be a press conference scheduled for today, December 23rd. The Waterville Police Department will issue informational releases regarding the search for Ayla Reynolds as appropriate and necessary today and through the weekend. In the event that future press conferences are scheduled, the Police Department will make the date, time and location available.
This morning's snowfall has hampered our ability to conduct large-scale search operations. Today, teams of Wardens from the Maine Warden Service will conduct searches targeted by detectives as necessary.
Detectives from the Waterville Police Department and Maine State Police, as well as Special Agents from the FBI will continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ayla's disappearance, to include the painstaking review of an unprecedented amount of information which has been gathered to date. During the weekend, investigators will continue to work on this case. Timely follow-up of any leads and any developments in the ongoing case will occur. We continue to encourage members of the public to contact our department with any information which may lead detectives to Ayla's location.
Dec.24th2011
Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey - whose agency is investigating the disappearance of 20-month old Ayla Reynolds from her home at 29 Violette Avenue - with assistance from the Maine State Police, Maine Warden Service and the FBI, said today that "our work continues on Christmas Eve. As we recently stated, over the past seven days our investigators have gathered an incredible amount of information that we need to assimilate as we work to find Ayla. Our team of investigators and searchers have spent the past week working in the glaring spotlight of national attention that has rightly focused on the tragic event which befell Ayla and her family on December 17th. Now, detectives need the opportunity to continue their work for a few days outside of the microscope.
Our agency has received hundreds of leads, many of which have been investigated and some of which are being investigated at this time. We anticipate that the intense interest and media coverage of this case will generate additional leads - this assistance from the public is greatly appreciated, and we hope it continues.
The outpouring of support from not only the greater Waterville area, but from across the nation and around the world has served to buoy the spirits of searchers, detectives and support personnel. Many local residents have donated food, have offered to help search, and the public safety personnel working to find Ayla are continuously stopped by folks, who offer their thoughts, prayers, and words of appreciation. These sentiments help more than you can know.
We are committed to utilize all resources available. We would like to stress that this is still a very active investigation, and we will not cease our efforts until Ayla is located."
Dec.26th2011
Today at 3PM, Police Chief Joseph Massey held a press conference to discuss a new citizen-led initiative geared toward encouraging people who may have information regarding the whereabouts of missing toddler Ayla Reynolds to cooperate with police. Chief Massey explained that over the Christmas weekend, he was contacted by several individuals who wanted to offer a cash reward for information leading to the location of Ayla Reynolds. Chief Massey and local attorney John Nale met and discussed the best way to organize the effort. "I was astounded to learn that a number of private citizens had already approached Mr. Nale and that the total amount of reward money being offered was $30,000. I am very hopeful that the offer of a large monetary reward may serve to spur someone to make the phone call we desperately want to receive - the call that will lead us to Ayla Reynolds."
John Nale, attorney at Nale Law Offices, spoke briefly at the press conference this afternoon, saying, "I am here on behalf of the greater Waterville area community. And on behalf of the greater Waterville area community, I ask and I plead that the person or persons who have young Ayla Reynolds, that they please keep her safe and return her safely to us. And further, on behalf of the people of the greater Waterville community and through the generosity, support and kindness of a number of individuals and businesses in the area, I offer a $30,000 reward to the person or persons who provide us with information leading to the location and return of this young girl to us."
In addition to news about the reward being offered, Chief Massey also disclosed several additional pieces of information about the investigation. "Work to find Ayla continued over the weekend. Investigators sorted through leads as they came in. Some of those leads, we believe, were prompted by coverage of this case that aired on a segment of the TV show "America's Most Wanted" over the weekend. For some of our investigators, their Christmas holiday was very short as they worked the case through the weekend."
Chief Massey also stated that "at this point in the investigation, we are very confident that Ayla did not let herself out of the house at 29 Violette Avenue. We believe that someone removed Ayla from the house, and that is where our investigation is focusing. I don't want to speculate beyond that, because we do not know who took Ayla out of that house and under what circumstances she was removed. In most missing person cases, the longer the investigation goes on the more concerned we become that we can find the person safe - particularly when the case involves the most vulnerable members of our community such as children and seniors."
Chief Massey also spoke briefly about the massive amount of media attention this case has rightly drawn, and explained that due to the level of interest and the volume of requests he has received for individual interviews, he will not be able to satisfy those requests and will continue to release information to the public through pre-announced press conferences and releases. "I appreciate all that you do," said Chief Massey, speaking to members of the media, "and that is the important job of reporting the news to the public."
Dec.27th2011
The investigation into the disappearance of Ayla Reynolds continues today, 11 days after she was reported missing from her home at 29 Violette Avenue. Since December 17th, investigators and searchers from the Maine Warden Service are estimated to have worked in excess of 5,000 hours in an effort to locate Ayla.
To date, we have received approximately 330 leads from people who believe they have information to offer. These leads have poured in from around the nation, including several from as far away as California. Our detectives are working to thoroughly investigate these leads, requesting assistance from investigators across America when necessary. This has truly become a national effort. Of the 330 leads, approximately 100 of those leads have been received since we made the public announcement yesterday that a group of private citizens and businesspeople in the Waterville area are offering a $30,000 cash reward for information leading to the location and return of Ayla to her family.
Yesterday, we released information that at this point in the investigation we have concluded that Ayla did not leave her home on her own. In missing child investigations - most of which are thankfully resolved rapidly and successfully - police immediately conduct a thorough search of the child's residence. Most children are located hiding somewhere in or around the home. This was not the case with Ayla. We initiated an intensive, thorough and exhaustive search in and around Ayla's home - to include the use of numerous police canines - with no success. One of the canines and it's handler responded shortly after Ayla was repoted missing - we knew that time was of the essence and none was wasted.
In addition to our professionally conducted and thorough search, there are other factors which lead us to discount the likelihood that Ayla walked away from her own home. Since December 17th, we have become very familiar with the interior layout of the house at 29 Violette Avenue. Based on our knowledge of the interior of the house and the sequence of events that would have needed to occur for her to make it outside on her own, we feel comfortable that we can eliminate that possibility and focus on other possibilities. In addition, Ayla's small stature, injured arm and mobility (she was a toddler, having recently learned to walk) make such a scenario even more far fetched.
Today, ground searches continue as investigators go about their work to piece together the circumstances surrounding Ayla's disappearance. All four agencies that initially responded to find Ayla - Waterville Police, State Police, the Maine Warden Service, and the FBI - are all still hard at work and their commitment is undiminished.
Dec.28th2011
As the investigation into the disappearance of Ayla Reynolds nears the end of Day 12, the Maine Warden Service is completing the last of their large-scale search operations. Over the past 12 days, members of the Warden Service, Waterville and Winslow Fire and Rescue, members of the Maine Association of Search and Rescue (MASAR) and other public safety officials have conducted a large number of ground searches and water searches, to include numerous examinations of the rivers in Waterville by the Warden Service plane. Many of these searches, particularly near the residence of 29 Violette Avenue, have been repeated in order to make sure that no evidence of Ayla's disappearance would be missed. In addition to the area searches, Wardens have also conducted a large number of targeted searches based on tips received from the media and based on direction from investigators.
The Maine Warden Service will continue to be available to the Waterville Police and State Police as the investigation moves ahead. Colonel Joel Wilkinson and his agency have been an incredibly valuable resource and the Wardens conducting these searches have done some of the hardest work in this effort. Colonel Wilkinson assures us that his agency will continue to make his personnel available as necessary to execute future searches. Our gratitude for their assistance is immense.
As of this afternoon, our department has received a total of approximately 370 leads, which have been assigned to detectives for follow-up.
Because of our commitment to conduct this investigation in a way that will assure us the highest possible chance of successfully locating Ayla, the agencies involved have been exceedingly cautious about releasing investigative details to the public. Although we fully understand and appreciate the public's desire to "know what we know" about the case, we will continue to release only that information which is appropriate based on the direction of the investigation, and at a time when we are confident that such release will not compromise our progress.
This afternoon, Justin Dipietro provided our investigators with a second written statement that he requested we release to the media. Mr. Dipietro's statement is attached to this press release.
Mother and Family Statements w/transcripts:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/investigators-search-ayla-reynolds-15182601
Dec.18th 2011 clips with family members.
RR: Oh, man, what I'm going through right now is..I want to go there, I want to search, I want to just go up there and search, and stay up all night to do whatever I need to do but the police are telling me to let them do their job.
Um, does somebody have her in a car? I, I mean, is she dead?
Ayla's aunt: This is type of thing that I watch on the news, I never thought, in a million years thought, that my sister or anyone that close to me would be dealing with this. I just want my niece to be found, that's all we can hope for at this point.
http://www.wmtw.com/r-video/30031806/detail.html
Raw video interview TR Dec.19th 2011
TR: I guess there is, everyone is over there right now..and I just, I guess I just want to like, I want to pick her up and I want to hold her. And I just want to tell her like, she's going to be okay. And I just, I want to see her face. I want to see her eyes. I want to feel her touch. I want to tell her I love her and I feel like I can't protect her right now and I thought by me letting her go with her father and by me keeping her there for as long as she has been that it was the safest place for her to be because I knew that I wasn't able to take care of her but now I'm so wrong.
Like, since she's been there she got a broken arm, she's ended up missing, you know what I mean, and I wasn't trying to be secretive by going to the courts. I just, I didn't want to fight with him anymore. Like, me and her father have been fighting constantly and just..I didn't want to fight no more. I was tired of getting my hopes up that my daughter was going to get to come spend the night or even a weekend with me. And then when he wouldn't show with her..you know what I mean? Like..
Reporter: Plus you're in two far apart towns..
TR: Right. Like..she's all the way in Waterville and I'm here and there is nothing I can do right now. Except for sit here and put it out there that I hope that they find her. And I hope she is safe. And I hope she's okay, but like, my biggest fear is that she's all alone and she's scared..and she ain't got nobody to turn to. And I'm her mother, I'm supposed to be protecting her. There are other people out there looking for her, and not me. I should be in Waterville right now searching for my daughter but nobody will let me be there. Waterville PD are telling me I can't be there.
Reporter: Why is that?
TR: I don't know, they just keep saying like "interfere interfere" interfere with what? Like, you..there is an amazing woman out there that I wish I knew her name, I've seen her come up on TV, talking the same thing, you know, like, has Ayla eaten? Is she okay? I mean, like, this lady, she has her own family and she has sent her own kids with her mother so she could go search for my daughter. Like, I thank that woman right now for what she is doing because I can't be there.
Reporter: What if you went up there, like what are they gonna do?
TR: That's what I'm wondering like, what are they gonna do? My whole family is ready to go up there and do our own little search. But it's like, if the dogs can't even sniff her out from the outside, then where is she? If she's not outside, then who has her? Where is she?
Reporter: First there is the abduction theory, and then you hear people are pointing fingers, you're a suspect, he is a suspect, everybody is a suspect now. What really in your heart of hearts tells you happened here? Apparently he had some people over, somebody he didn't know or..?
TR: Uh, I'm really starting to believe that he has done something with my daughter. I'm really starting to feel that, as a mother, that somebody in his family or himself has done something with Ayla. And if he has, all he's gotta do is come out and just say it. Know what I mean? Just come out and talk to me. Just tell me where she is. Because I want to know where she is. I haven't seen her in over a month and then this is what happens? Like I can't..
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30033639/detail.html
clip with TR Dec. 19th 2011
Reporter: From the kitchen table at her fathers house in Portland, TR says she hasn't slept since the call on Saturday, that her 20 month old baby named Ayla was missing from a Waterville home where she stayed with the father, JD. Reynolds says the couple, who were never married, had no legal custody arrangement, but they did have an agreement. Including around the time Trista was in rehab.
TR: The agreement was, was that if he took Ayla, if I let him take care of Ayla for the time being, for me to get back on my feet, he had to live with his mother because I thought it would have been the safest place for her to be. And..I was wrong.
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30032359/detail.html
WMTV RR interview Dec.19th 2011:
Q: People are pointing fingers at the family..
A: Exactly, I mean, no no no no, see, what you don't understand is, my granddaughter wasn't with us. She was with her father, and has been. Where is my granddaughter? I'll keep saying it until I get closure. Where is my granddaughter? I want her home! Do people not understand that? I want her home and I thank everybody that is out there right now. The state police, the FBI, everybody that is involved, I thank them from the bottom of my heart. This whole thing is just tearing me up..I just..I want her home. I want answers. I want something...just..And if he did have something to do with it, god dammit, say something, come forth and say something, somebody say something out there, somebody knows something about my granddaughter. Okay. The poor helpless little thing right now, she is out there somewhere. She's scared. And I can't do nothing. All I can do is support my family, support my daughter..this whole thing is tearing me up..
Just let me, I'll go to his house. I'll knock on his door. I'll ask him face to face if it comes down to it, where's my granddaughter? But I know what will happen if I go there..I know exactly what will happen.
Q: You'll get arrested.
A: Exactly.
http://www.kjonline.com/news/Press-conference-today-on-missing-toddler.html
Dec.19th 2011 quoted from article:
The toddler had lived in Portland with her mother and grandmother until mid-October, said Becca Hanson, Ayla’s grandmother. The grandparents, who are not married and have separate addresses, said Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services had removed Ayla from her mother’s care in October. The maternal grandparents criticized the agency, although no details about the action were available Sunday.
Hanson was staying with Ayla’s mother, Trista Reynolds, in a South Portland motel Sunday as the search continued in Waterville.
“This is the worst thing of all because she doesn’t know where her daughter is at,” Hanson said. “I’m hoping that they call us soon and say they found her.”
Hanson said Trista Reynolds was not able to talk to the media. Trista Reynolds also has a 9-month-old son who is living with her at the South Portland motel, Hanson said.
Ayla’s grandparents described her as a bright, happy girl.
“Ayla started walking when she was 10 months old,” Hanson said. “She’s a really outgoing child. She always had a smile on her face.”
Ayla loves her little brother, Hanson said. “She tries to give him his bottle and his binky. They’re like two peas in a pod.”
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-ma...ll-custody-day/story?id=15186552#.Tu_yUlZIuOd
Dec. 19th 2011 ABC interview with TR
TR: He would help me out, he'd take care of her until I was on my feet. We've been unable to actually get along the last few weeks and "parent" together.
Reporter: Reynolds said she filed paperwork on Thursday to get full custody of the toddler, one day before Ayla went missing, but says she hadn't told Ayla's father.
TR: He didn't know I went to file them. He'll know now but I haven't told him and no one told him.
Reporter: Reynolds says she hasn't spoken to Ayla's father Justin since their daughter disappeared.
TR: I've had no contact with him. He's had no contact with me. Like, all I know is he's the last man to see my daughter and all I want to know is where she is.
RR: I want Ayla home with her family. With her mother, with her Pop Pop, with her Grandmother, with all of us. I want her home, I want her safe. And I pray right now that she is safe.
http://www.necn.com/12/19/11/Missin...ng_newengland.html?blockID=615320&feedID=4206
Dec.19th 2011 NECN interview with TR. The video at this link is changed, it no longer shows the same video, but I transcribed the video before it was deleted.
Reporter: Trista Reynolds says her 20 month old daughter is bright, fun, talkative, and energetic. Not knowing where she is or what has happened to her is heart wrenching.
TR: It's killing me. Every minute and every hour and every second that is going by and there's nothing about her, it's hurts.
Reporter: Reynolds, who has never lived with Ayla's father, says she is angry that this happened on his watched. Asked if she thought he would ever hurt their daughter...
TR: I don't know, like, I barely know who Justin is. We've never been in a relationship. I want to believe that no, he wouldn't hurt my daughter, but if he did...he just needs to tell me. But I feel deep down inside that..he didn't hurt her but I do think he did something with her.
Reporter: Trista Reynolds is holding out hope and praying for her daughters safe return.
TR: I am praying that the next phone call or the next knock that I get coming at my door, they're gonna say, I want you to come with me cause we got your daughter.
http://www.wmur.com/r/30037216/detail.html
Dec.20th quoted from article:
Welfare agents had placed Ayla with her father weeks ago while her mother, Trista Reynolds, was in rehab for substance abuse, Reynolds' stepsister Whitney Raynor said Monday. The toddler's maternal grandmother, Becka Hanson, told the Morning Sentinel newspaper it was the Department of Health and Human Services that took custody of the girl and turned her over to DiPietro.
After moving in with her father, the toddler suffered a broken arm, said Raynor, who serves as spokeswoman for the Portland family, which has sought to regain custody of the girl.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-ma...-unstable-home/story?id=15198125#.TvDtgFZIuOe
Dec. 20th 2011 short quotes from TR.
TR: I just want answers. I just want to know where my daughter is. And who she may be with. Just bring her home.
Reporter: At around 8 o'clock on Friday night, Justin Dipietro, Ayla's father, says he put the toddler to bed. When he went to check on her Saturday morning, he says she was gone. He's had custody of Ayla since child welfare agents placed her with him in November, while Reynolds was in rehab for substance abuse. During that time, Ayla's mom said she became concerned when she saw bruises, and confronted him.
TR: He said well, you know, her and my niece like to go down on the stairs. Like, it could be from that. I just..I didn't believe it.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/2...ssing-maine-girl-ayla-reynolds/#ixzz1hCT8m2Er
JR and TR quotes from article Dec.21st2011
Reynolds and her older sister, Jessica, were staying in a hotel Tuesday to keep away from the media frenzy.
"I'm watching my sister fall to pieces," Jessica Reynolds said. "I don't think she has any tears left to cry."
Trista Reynolds told The Associated Press that she and DiPietro never lived together as a couple. But Reynolds said a drinking problem prompted her to enter rehabilitation in Lewiston for 10 days in October; she said that although her mother and older sister cared for Ayla during that time, child welfare agents intervened to place the girl with DiPietro.
Dec.22nd2011 interview RR:
http://www.wmtw.com/video/30059830/detail.html
RR: If Ayla can hear me, Ayla..if you can hear papa, we're coming to get you, girl. I swear to God, we're gonna find you, and we're gonna bring you home Ayla okay? Because it's all about you Ayla. It's not about anybody else, it's about Ayla. And let the police do their investigation and everything else, but I want my Ayla home. I want my baby home with us, you know. Somebody knows something.
http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/45775493#45775493
Dec.23rd2011 TR Today Show interview
TR: I just want her home and I'm hoping for..maybe my Christmas present, that'll be it, that she's gonna come home.
I trusted him to keep her safe, and now she is missing and I don't know where she is, and I blame him right now because he did not protect her the way that he was supposed to.
Q: What are police telling you about the investigation right now?
TR: Nothing. No clues, not at all. Everything I'm hearing I'm hearing from uh, news reporters, broadcastings, yeah. I'm just like everybody else out there right now. I'm not hearing from any detective, any state police, nothing. Just what I hear on the news.
Q: Let's go back to the last contact you had with Ayla's father, JD. He is cooperating with police, as you saw, he released that short statement and said he has no idea what happened to Ayla. But, you checked in with him a week ago when he was supposed to take Ayla to a doctor's appointment to check her broken arm. What happened?
TR: I uh, had reached out to him on Thursday, the 15th, to see if he was definitely still coming on Friday, and he told me he was definitely not coming, and that was the last that I had spoken with Justin.
Q: And then Ayla had disappeared, as you had found out, have you heard from Justin since?
TR: I have not.
Q: And Justin says he put Ayla to bed at 8pm that night, Thursday night, into Friday, and he checked her bed at 8am. Timeline, here, is very important as you know in a missing person's case. You have told us that Justin would apparently always check in on Ayla, before he would go to bed. Do you have any reason to believe that he didn't, in fact, do that?
TR: Uh, I don't know in this case right now, but yeah, he's told me numerous times before he'd go to bed he'd check on her. Why would this one time would you not check on her? So i'm not sure, like..
Q: There's a lot of questions and speculation about the custody situation, I know that Ayla was put into, by child protective services, into custody, uh, Justin got custody of Ayla in October...
TR: He did not get custody of Ayla.
Q:...temporary custody in October? He did not?
TR: No, he did not, no, he did not.
Q: Why was she in his care?
TR: Nothing stating..Because Department of Health and Human Services violated my rights. That is why she ended in Justin's care. There was no court order, there was no nothing that had to do with any custody at all. None, whatsoever.
Q: Did you file for sole custody though, the couple of days before she disappeared?
TR: On Thursday, yeah, I went to Portland courthouse and I filed for parental rights and responsibilities.
Q: And did you have any reason to believe that Justin was not being a caring parent to Ayla?
TR: Um, I don't think we was not a non-caring parent..I just..I just think the way he was going about things was just wrong, by lots of ways and I mean, just, after a while of not hearing from her and not being able to see her, a mother is going to get suspicious. And that's..I started getting very suspicious of um, what was going on.
TR: And uh, could I just uh, thank everyone out there for um, you know, especially the mothers, you know, mother to mother who's uh, out searching for my daughter and who has you know, been there, looking and not giving up and giving their prayers.
http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/Search-continues-on-Christmas-Eve.html
Dec.24th2011 snipped from article
Becca Hanson, Ayla’s grandmother, also asked that her daughter, Trista Reynolds, be left alone for a couple of days.
“She’s really tired,” Hanson said of Ayla’s mother, who gave interviews on several national news programs last week.
Hanson said she believed Reynolds was planning to do something special in Ayla’s honor on Christmas Day, but did not know what it was.
“It’s going to be a hard day for her,” she said.
http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/45814327#45814327
Dec.29th2011 TR on Today Show
Q: What are police telling you?
TR: Uh, the same thing that I hear on the news. Um..but they, they'll kind of call me now first before I hear it on the news, but it's the same thing. That they're still investigating, they're still where we were 13 days ago.
Q: Ayla was with her father when she was last seen. He has not spoken publicly but he did release a statement through the police. Do you think that JD has anything to do with your daughters disappearance?
TR: I don't know. Part of me feels yes and a part of me feels no. It's just...
Q: Explain the part of you that feels yes?
TR: Just..you know, like, he says he's not in hiding, but why won't he come out? Why won't he talk to me? Why..why is he staying away? You know, like, just, what is he so afraid of to not come out or to talk to me?
Q: We should mention that in a lot of these situations in the past, parents do come forward and go on television but it is every ones right not to do that. And in his statement he says "It is important that the people hear it from me personally that I have no idea what happened to Ayla and that I am not hiding. I have been in full cooperation with everyone in this effort, including not adding additional media hype." Your response to that?
TR: I don't got one. I'm still in shock with what he wrote, like what he put out in his statement.
Q: What really got my attention on this, Trista, last night, was that you and he have not spoken since your daughter disappeared. You've tried to call him..
TR: Mhmm.
Q: He has not responded to your calls..
TR: Uh-uh.
Q: Have you tried to get the police to act as intermediaries, create some sort of dialogue between you two?
TR: Yep. I've asked that question and they tell me that it's between me and him. Like, it's on me and him to contact one another.
Q: I would think, as a police officer investigating this, you'd want to see the parents interacting at least maybe to observe it. But they..
TR: Right.
Q: They've offered no opportunity for you to be in contact with your daughter's father?
TR: None.
Q: Um, a little background on your relationship with Justin, according to you, you and Justin had an agreement that he would take care of Ayla while you were in rehab back in October.
TR: That's right.
Q: Other reports suggest that CPS gave Justin temporary custody of Ayla. I don't think you agree with that. But, after you got out of rehab, a month went by where you never saw Ayla, why?
TR: No, I had went like two and a half weeks without seeing her when I first got out of rehab, and then after, um, like the first week of November, I didn't see her again until the 21st of November. And then after the 21st of November I did not see her again.
Q: Have you been critical of Justin's parenting? Do you worry that she was not safe in his care?
TR: Yeah.
Q: For what reason?
TR: Just..you know, just for the reasons like he would never let me see her. I would call to talk to her and he'd get mad about it. I mean like, if I did see her and I would notice something on her like a bruise or just, something, he, instead of like, reacting in a calm manner he would lash out about it, or kind of like, go into defense.
Q: I have to ask you at the end here. You filed for sole custody of Ayla the day before she disappeared, did you have anything to do with her disappearance? Or did you send anyone up to that house to take your baby back?
TR: No. And I didn't file for sole custody. All I filed for was parental rights and responsibilities. That's it. It wasn't sole custody.
Q: If you could speak to Justin right now what would you say to him?
TR: Just come talk to me. Like, just talk to me. You know, like, he's the only one that can answer some of my questions. You know, like, we have a daughter that is missing. We used to be able to get along all the time. Just talk to me. That's all I want, just..he was the last one to see her alive. Like, just talk to me. That's all I want. Just talk to me.
Justin DiPietro Statements:
Dec .20th 2011
http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/breakingnews/Father-of-missing-toddler-speaks-for-first-time.html
First, I'd like to thank everyone involved for their continued support in finding our daughter, Ayla.
I have no idea what happened to Ayla, or who is responsible. I will not make accusations or insinuations towards anyone until the police have been able to prove who's responsible for this.
Ayla was in my sole custody at the time of her disappearance per agreement between her mother and I because she was temporarily unable to care for Ayla. I have shared every piece of information possible with the police. Contrary to some statements floating around out there, I have been in communication with Ayla's mother over the last couple of weeks. The Waterville police have the transcripts from my phone for verification of those communications.
It has always been my intention to have a shared parenting arrangement with Ayla's mother and I will continue to work towards that when Ayla is returned to us.
My family and friends will continue to do everything we can to assist in this investigation and to get Ayla back home.
We appreciate the media respecting our privacy at this time. If anyone has any information that might be helpful, please contact Waterville police at 207-680-4700.
Dec.28th2011
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who's been involved in their continued efforts in finding my daughter, Ayla. A special thanks to the residents of Waterville that came together to offer a reward for information leading to Ayla's return. I am pleased with the amount of resources being expended from all the departments of law enforcement. Until now I have not participated in any interviews for I don't want to in any way hinder the investigation.
However, it is important that the people hear it from me personally that I have no idea what happened to Ayla and that I am not hiding. I have been in full cooperation with everyone in this effort, including not adding additional media hype.
I would never do anything to hurt my child. The questions of Ayla's arm or bruises or anything else being said are simply ludicrous. I would never want anyone to spend even a minute in my shoes. No should ever have to experience this. It has affected me in more ways than you can imagine.
I have to believe that Ayla is with somebody and I just want that person to find the courage to do the right thing and find a way to return her safely. Even if that means dropping her off at a church, or hospital, or some place safe..
Again, thank you to everyone in trying to help and thank you to everyone showing your support! Please don't give up or lose hope, because that is easy to do. Please be grateful for what you have. I know what I don't have.
The truth is the truth and when the case is solved, it will be out there. Until then, please try to remain positive and hopeful as I remain confident the Ayla will return safely.
